Telangana Government Unhappy Over ‘Unfulfilled Promise’ By Ajay Devgn

AJAY DEVGN AND ‘MAIDAAN’ FLIMMAKERS

Actor Ajay Devgn and the makers of the film ‘Maidaan’ may face legal trouble as the Telangana government is reportedly concerned about their failure to pay royalties to the family of former Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim, on whose life the film is based.

Ajay Devgn portrayed Rahim, the legendary coach who led India to the semi-finals of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, making them the first Asian team to reach that stage.

Sources indicate that Rahim's family recently voiced their grievances to officials at the Chief Minister's Office. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was reportedly shocked by the filmmakers' insensitivity and ordered an inquiry into the matter.

The family claims that Devgn and the filmmakers promised them royalties in exchange for information about Rahim's personal and professional life, as well as trivia for the film's script. However, after the film's release, which received critical acclaim and commercial success, the promise was allegedly not honored. The Chief Minister, angered by this perceived betrayal, reportedly sees this as a serious insult to Rahim's legacy and has suggested that a police case for ‘cheating’ might be filed after the inquiry.

While the film has helped immortalize Rahim’s contributions to Indian football and introduced him to new generations, the filmmakers’ alleged neglect of his family has sparked controversy. The film’s release was already contentious due to plagiarism allegations from Karnataka-based writer Anil Kumar, which led to a stay by the Mysore Sessions Court. However, the Karnataka High Court later lifted the stay, allowing the film to release globally on April 11, 2024, coinciding with Eid.

‘Maidaan’ is produced by Akash Chawla, Boney Kapoor, Arunava Joy Sengupta, and Zee Studios, and directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma.